Field of the Invention
The invention relates to apparatus for generating, managing, storing and converting power and, more specifically, is an apparatus for accomplishing one or more of the above functions that fits in a shoe and permits the generation of power while walking or running. 2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 1,506,282 to Barbieri presents a design of an electric shoe with internal generator. In Barbieri's design, mechanical movements of the heel, using a rack and pinion technique, activate the generator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,199 to Lakic presents a design with a generator located within a shoe activated during walking or running by mechanical means. In Lakic's design, a sleeve with spiral grooves converts a linear motion of a piston to a circular motion, and in turn activates a gear mechanism to generate energy to warm the shoe sole. Lakic's invention is similar to Barbieri's design in a general sense of using a rotational movement of a gear set to generate power with a built-in generator. However, the detailed technique for converting a linear motion of the heel to a circular motion of the gear train is different from Barbieri's invention.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,845,338 and 4,782,602 to Lakic present further improvements to Lakic's earlier design. The linear motion of a piston is again converted into a circular motion, which in turn activates a gear mechanism to generate power. U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,338 includes an optional feature of a rechargeable battery.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,391 to Bauer also illustrates a mechanically driven motor generator adapted to provide electrical energy to a shoe heating means. This device is not self-contained in the heel of a shoe. It is attached to the back of a ski boot and is activated by means of a pulling force created during skiing. The design of the generator is similar to Barbieri's and Lakic's inventions.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,272,931 to Etheridge is of general interest for its teaching of an air pump incorporated into the heel of a shoe as part of a shoe heating device. In this system, electrical energy is not generated. Heat is obtained by compressing air in cylinders within the heel and discharging it into a hollow insole.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,540 to Lakic illustrates an improvement on Etheridge's invention. Lakic's invention uses an air pump within the shoe to heat the air in a quasi-Carnot cycle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,271 to Lakic illustrates a bellows style air pump incorporated in the sole of the boot to circulate the heat generated by mechanical friction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,788 to Chen is of general interest for its teaching relating to pumping air from a toe section to a heel section of a shoe. The reference is of further interest for its disclosure of the use of PN junctions to create electrical energy for driving a temperature modifying means. In this instance the temperature modifying means is a cooling apparatus rather than a heating apparatus.
In the previous inventions, a sliding post is used to convert the linear motion of the heel to the circular movement of a gear set, thus powering a generator. However, designs that use a sliding post are highly dependent on a large movement of the heel to be able to generate adequate power. A design is needed that can generate higher torque and thus higher movement than the previous inventions. Additional improvements would be a digital diagnostic data output, and a smart charging circuit that optimizes battery charge management. Also, while some previous inventions do incorporate air pumps to warm or cool the shoe, a pneumatic system could be incorporated to drive a generator, thus creating electrical power.